Sparks in the Riptide
by Zany Hitakus
Summary: This is from the Advanced Series in Season 6, Episode 20 - Brave the Wave, after Ash runs away from the pokémon centre. This is an alternate scene which is based on Advancedshipping so if you aren't a fan of the Ash and May pairing, you have been warned.


Ash was walking on the beach, Pikachu behind him. He was still mad that he had lost to Brawly and that Treeco had gotten hurt so badly. "How did I lose to someone who prioritises surfing to Pokémon Battles? It just doesn't make any sense Pikachu" Ash said in anger and sadness. The sun was setting over the ocean but Ash didn't notice, annoyed as he was. He had realised a while ago that the anger was self-generated but continued to beat himself up. "I even shouted at my friends, now they probably hate me…" He turned around to face Pikachu but Pikachu wasn't there. "Pikachu?" Ash called in worry. But there was no reply. "Great, now even Pikachu doesn't like me…" Ash said, starting to well up. At this, Ash ran as fast and as far as he could. When the sun had just dipped below the horizon, Ash stopped running, out of breath and still crying. "I need to find somewhere to sleep; my friends won't want me around back at the pokémon centre…" Ash said, looking around. He saw a small cave with adequate room, so after checking for pokémon he went inside and lay down on the stone. It wasn't very comfortable but he made do, he hadn't brought anything with him because he didn't think he would need to. He just watched as the moon appeared in the gap of the cave. "Brock, Max and May are probably talking about how stupid I am right now" Ash said sadly. "And they are right, I shouted at them, mistreated my pokémon and ran away; I don't even deserve to train pokémon…" He then started welling up again. Suddenly, a feminine voice said "That's not true!" Ash looked up and saw the moon shining behind… May.

She was staring at him with a sad expression. Ash sat up and stuttered "M-may, did you f-follow me?" May nodded and said "Yes, I couldn't let you go out on your own". Then May walked in and sat next to him. "What you said isn't true Ash" May said worry was still evident from when Ash had lashed out earlier. "Yes it is, I mistreated Treeco and should have made it stop… I'm a terrible trainer" Ash said still on the verge of tear. "No! You may have mistreated Treeco but you don't mistreat your pokémon all the time" May said, trying to defend Ash from himself. Ash looked at her and said "But Pikachu is gone and I didn't go to look for him, what kind of a trainer would abandon his pokémon to the wilderness". May then said awkwardly "Actually… Pikachu's fine, I just told him to go to the pokémon centre while I dealt with you…" Ash went quiet for a while and then looked away and said "Your too kind, I don't deserve a friend like you…" "Stop getting down on yourself Ash, you aren't normally like this" May said, confused and sad that Ash continued to berate himself. Suddenly Ash hugged May and started crying. A blush appeared on May's face but Ash didn't see because his head was over May's right shoulder. May, not knowing what to do and feel startled, hugged Ash back, rubbing his back as she did. May was still blushing and thought "Wow, I've never seen Ash this emotional". Just then Ash stopped crying and pulled away. Realising that he had done it without asking he looked away, blushing. "Thank you… for coming out after me…" Ash said, still looking away as he was too embarrassed to look. "It's no problem Ash" May replied in a soothing tone. "She's so considerate, can I help it if I like her…" Ash thought, his mind wondering. Immediately surprised at this thought, he thought "Wait what?" Ash looked back at May and she was looking out at the moon, the moonlight shining on her hair and reflecting on her sapphire eyes. "She looks so serene and nice… I guess I do like her" Ash thought happily. "Maybe we should get to sleep; we need to go back to the pokémon centre in the morning" May said, looking at Ash. Ash nodded but then said "Wait a second". May looked at Ash and said in a confused voice "What is it Ash?" Ash thought for a second "Don't tell her yet, wait for a while, I still need to think about this". Thinking for a way to replace what he was going to say, he suddenly said "How are we going to sleep?" May blushed, then said "Well since it will get cold in here, I guess we will have to huddle close to each other". Hearing this, Ash also blushed. "I've only just discovered that I like May and now I have to sleep with her?!" he thought, surprised. "Ok" Ash said, wanting to keep warm but still embarrassed. They both laid down in the corner of the cave and held each other. Not able to sleep, Ash asked "May, did you bring your pokémon?" May nodded and said "Yes, I have them". Ash then said "Then why don't you send them out? They will help keep us warm". May smiled and said "Yeah, ok" as she reached into her fanny pack. "Come out you two" May called as she threw her two pokéballs. This released both of May's pokémon, Wurmple and Torchic, which both curled up with Ash and May, and May's Torchic emanated heat which kept all four of them warm.

Later that night, Ash woke up, still confused by what he had discovered earlier. He got up, making sure not to wake up any of the others, and walked outside. He walked over to a ledge which hung over the woodland below and the moon still shone brightly in the night sky. He sat on the ledge, thinking. "What is it I like about her?" he thought. Images of him starting as a trainer flashed through his mind, followed by May starting as a trainer. Further images appeared of him helping May train and telling her different things about pokémon. "Maybe it's because she's so much like me but different at the same time, not only that but she also has a goal which she is determined to follow but different and similar at the same time". Just then a shooting star shot across the night sky which Ash spotted to much joy. Trying to make a wish, Ash thought of all the things he could wish for, riches, fame, adventure, but none of them stuck out to him. His mind finally settled on one wish "I want May to be happy in all she does" he said truthfully to the night air. "She deserves to succeed and complete all her dreams". Ash sighed and continued looking at the moon, happy with his wish. "You know that was very sweet of you" Ash heard from behind him. He turned around sharply and saw May looking at him and smiling. Panicking, Ash stuttered out "May! I… uh… hehe…" May walked up to him and put a finger to his lips which made Ash blush and said "You don't need to explain, I know what you mean, and you're lying, you meant that so don't try and take it back". May was quiet for a while, removing her finger from his lips, then she looked into his eyes and asked "Do you really feel that way about me, that you would rather see me happy than sad or angry?" Staring back into May's sapphire eyes, Ash answered honestly "Yes, I want to see you happy and not sad, I care about you a great deal…" Ash paused for a second, then, after inhaling, said "…I love you". May was taken back at Ash's honesty and forthcoming, but at the same time filled with an unparalleled happiness. Gazing into Ash's auburn eyes she replied "I'm glad you said that… I love you too". They both stared at each other lovingly, then, pressed their lips together to seal the loving bond under the presence of the moon. Pulling away after what seemed like hours to the two, they looked at their new found partners in a haze of trust and happiness. "Let's get some sleep, we need to get back to the others in the morning" Ash said, still revelling in the love shared between them. "Ok" May said, hugging Ash then pulling away and yawning which Ash found cute. They headed back to the cave and huddled together again in a tight embrace with Torchic and Wurmple in the middle again, however, this time the bond could be felt and allowed Ash and May to drift to sleep peacefully. The moon shone through the opening in the cave and on the new couple, illuminating them in the glow of their love.


End file.
